Self-registering base-ball target.



W. L. BOICOURT.

SELF REGISTERING BASE BALL TARGET.

APPLICATIOH'FILED SEPT. 10. 1915.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

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WILLIAM L. BOIGOURT, OF WATERBURY, VERMONT.

SELF-REGISTERING- BASE-BALL TARGET.

Application filed September 10, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, \VILLriM L. B01- counr, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVaterbury, in the county of Washington and State of Vermont, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Registering Base-Ball Targets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relate to improvements in game apparatus.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a target adapted to be contacted by a projectile, such as a thrown ball, and which will automatically indicate the exact point or surface with which the ball contacts so that a perfect register may be obtained of the places of contact on the target of all the balls thrown by the players.

Another object of the invention is to construct a target adapted to be contacted by a thrown ball, such as a base ball; to provide the same with a suitable backing having a coarse fabric facing forming the target proper, and to arrange between the facing and the backing a cushion member impregnated with a suitable powder of a color different from that of the facing and which will be spread by the force of contact of the ball with the fabric target and which, when the ball draws away from the said target will cause a suction to permit of a certain amount of the powder permeating through the fabric target to indicate the point on the target with which the ball contacts.

With the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a view of a target constructed in accordance with the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view.

In the drawing I have illustrated a backing of any suitable material, such as a board, the same being indicated by the numeral 1, and preferably, but not essentially, the back 1 may be provided with a flange 2. The

flange is also preferably formed of wood and is adapted to receive therein a cushion member 3 which may be in the nature of cotton batting or such like substance which will readily receive upon its outer face a coating of some suitable powder such as talcum powder indicated by the numeral 4. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 141:, 1916.

Serial No. 50,051.

target powder will, of course, impregnate the cushion 3.

The numeral 5 designates a fabric facing for the flange 2, the said facing being preferably secured thereto by removable elements, such as thumb tacks or pins 6, and the casing has its outer face provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged circles 7, the inner and smaller circle being the objective to which the player, throwing the balls, aims. The cloth facing is comparatively coarse so that the powder may permeate through the weave of the same, and the said powder is of a different color from that of the facing.

It will be apparent that the impact of force of the ball on the fabric target 5 will compress the impregnated cushion 3 and as a consequence force the powder inwardly thereof, but as the ball drops from the target, the same will perform what may be termed a sucking action, so that some of the powder will be drawn through the portion of mesh of the fabric facing against which the ball contacts. The marks thus indicated may be easily erased after the game is finished and also a portion of the pins may be removed in order that additional talcum powder may be, placed upon the cushion member 3.

lVith a device as above described, it will be noted that the exact position of the ball when contacting with the target will be automatically indicated; that the device is extremely simple, may be cheaply manufactured, and is thoroughly eiiicient for the purpose designed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a target for the purpose set forth, a cushion impregnated with a powder, a fabric facing comprising a target upon the cushion, said facing being of a different color than that of the powder in the cushion and being of a mesh to permit of the powder from the cushion permeating there.- through when the said target is subjected to a force of contact to force the same against the cushion.

2. In a target for the purpose set forth, a back member, a cushion impregnated with a powder resting on the back, a fabric facing comprising a target arranged upon the cushion and secured to the back, the said fabric target being of a color different from that of the powder with which the cushion is impregnated and being of a mesh to permit of the powder permeating therethrough at points thereon which have been subjected to a force of contact to cause the facing to violently contact with the cushion.

3. In a'target for the purpose set forth, a flanged casing, a compressible member filling the casing and said member being im pregnated with a powder, a fabric casing comprising a target removably connected with thecasong and arranged over the cushion in contacting relation therewith, the said fabric target being of a color different from Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner- 0f Patents, Washington, D. G. 

